Atlanta nurse urges early health care after unexpected brain tumor discovery

A 24-year-old nurse in Atlanta encourages people to seek health care early after unexpectedly finding out that she had a brain tumor.

Cameron Ferenchik went to a normal doctor’s appointment after noticing swollen lymph nodes in her neck. An MRI revealed that her lymph nodes were fine, but she had a tumor in her brain blocking the flow of spinal fluid.

“My primary care doctor calls me the next day and was like, ‘Hey, your lymph nodes actually look fine, but we incidentally found a mass in your brain,'” Ferenchik said. “I was like, ‘What?’ You don’t ever expect that. I was just in shock and didn’t know what was going to happen. I didn’t expect to be going to surgery just a couple of days later.”

Doctors were able to remove the tumor, which was not cancerous.

Ferenchik says this is the reason people should seek treatment early because they might find something unexpected.

“I think seeking care early and often is so important,” she said.

Dr. Jim Robinson, a neurosurgeon at Northside Hospital, removed part of the tumor and said it was lucky they caught the tumor early.

Robinson says headaches are a common symptom of brain tumors, but symptoms may vary depending on the tumor’s size and location. The Mayo Clinic recommends seeking care if symptoms persist.